Newkirk, OK – The Department of Homeland Security plans to conduct chemical and biological testing near the border between Kansas and Oklahoma in January and February, and again in June and July, to determine how much protection people would receive from being inside a house or an apartment in the event of a biological terrorist attack, according to a statement on the Homeland Security website.

The DHS press release notes:

The study is part of the Department's ongoing commitment to preparedness and the shared responsibility of protecting the nation's critical infrastructure. The purpose of this study is to gather data that enhances our predictive capabilities in the event of a biological agent attack. Specifically, this work will help in predicting the extent to which an intentional release of a biological agent may penetrate single family and multi-family structures. These tests will release inert chemicals and biological materials that will be used to measure the amount of material that penetrates the buildings under varied conditions.

The environmental assessment of the proposed "low level outdoor release" of inert chemical and biological simulant materials states that low concentrations of particles will be released at two buildings on the now-abandoned Chilocco campus.